What is so important about the Underground Railroad?
- The Underground Railroad is important because it was a part of history. It was what was used to help slaves escape to free lands. For black slaves in America, the road to freedom was a long and difficult one.
How do you explain the Underground Railroad to kids?
It went through people’s houses, barns, churches, and businesses. People who worked with the Underground Railroad cared about justice and wanted to end slavery. They risked their lives to help enslaved people escape from bondage, so they could remain safe on the route.
What is the main idea of the Underground Railroad?
The Underground Railroad—the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight, through the end of the Civil War—refers to the efforts of enslaved African Americans to gain their freedom by escaping bondage. Wherever slavery existed, there were efforts to escape.
Why should students learn about the Underground Railroad?
It is a demonstration of how African Americans could organize on their own – dispelling the myth that African Americans did not resist enslavement. It provided an opportunity for sympathetic Americans to assist in the abolition of slavery.
What are 4 code words from the Underground Railroad?
The code words often used on the Underground Railroad were: “ tracks” (routes fixed by abolitionist sympathizers); “stations” or “depots” (hiding places); “conductors” (guides on the Underground Railroad); “agents” (sympathizers who helped the slaves connect to the Railroad); “station masters” (those who hid slaves in
Why was it named the Underground Railroad?
(Actual underground railroads did not exist until 1863.) According to John Rankin, “It was so called because they who took passage on it disappeared from public view as really as if they had gone into the ground. After the fugitive slaves entered a depot on that road no trace of them could be found.
What are some important facts about the Underground Railroad?
7 Facts About the Underground Railroad
- The Underground Railroad was neither underground nor a railroad.
- People used train-themed codewords on the Underground Railroad.
- The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made it harder for enslaved people to escape.
- Harriet Tubman helped many people escape on the Underground Railroad.
How successful was the Underground Railroad?
Ironically the Fugitive Slave Act increased Northern opposition to slavery and helped hasten the Civil War. The Underground Railroad gave freedom to thousands of enslaved women and men and hope to tens of thousands more. In both cases the success of the Underground Railroad hastened the destruction of slavery.
What was the purpose of the Underground Railroad quizlet?
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early-to-mid 19th century, and used by African-American slaves to escape into free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause.
How did the Underground Railroad help enslaved African Americans?
How did the Underground Railroad help enslaved African Americans? It provided a network of escape routes toward the North. In his pamphlet Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World, on what did David Walker base his arguments against slavery? They feared that the abolition of slavery would destroy their economy.
Why was the Underground Railroad important to the Civil War?
The Underground Railroad physically resisted the repressive laws that held slaves in bondage. By provoking fear and anger in the South, and prompting the enactment of harsh legislation that eroded the rights of white Americans, the Underground Railroad was a direct contributing cause of the Civil War.
Why was the Underground Railroad important to slaves?
The Underground Railroad was a secret system developed to aid fugitive slaves on their escape to freedom. The free individuals who helped runaway slaves travel toward freedom were called conductors, and the fugitive slaves were referred to as cargo.
How did the Underground Railroad help promote justice?
The Underground Railroad became a catalyst for propaganda as both the abolitionists and slave owners used tales of escape to gain popular support for their cause. The abolitionists used the stories of successful escapes to rally to action those who supported the causes of equality and freedom.
Why did slaves use codes?
Supporters of the Underground Railroad used words railroad conductors employed everyday to create their own code as secret language in order to help slaves escape. Code words would be used in letters to “agents” so that if they were intercepted they could not be caught.
What does the code word liberty lines mean?
Other code words for slaves included “freight,” “passengers,” “parcels,” and “bundles.” Liberty Lines – The routes followed by slaves to freedom were called “liberty lines” or “freedom trails.” Routes were kept secret and seldom discussed by slaves even after their escape.
How were quilts used on the Underground Railroad?
The seamstress would hang the quilts in full view one at a time, allowing the slaves to reinforce their memory of the pattern and its associated meaning. When slaves made their escape, they used their memory of the quilts as a mnemonic device to guide them safely along their journey, according to McDaniel.
Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Background During the first half of the nineteenth century, the size and popularity of the railroad system in the United States contributed to the code names slaves and abolitionists used to describe the operations of the Underground Railroad, such as “passenger,” “cargo,” “station,” “depot,” “stockholder,” and “conductor,” which were used to describe the operations of the Underground Railroad. Because many slaves and abolitionists were well-versed in the bible, they often employed religious code phrases, such as “River Jordan,” “Heaven,” “Promised Land,” and “Moses,” to communicate their intentions.
The Underground Railroad’s facilitators, or conductors, were typically free black people in the North, formerly escaped slaves, and a Even though slaves had a more difficult time fleeing from the most southern states—such as Alabama and Mississippi—because they were surrounded by other slave-holding states, practically every state had some level of Underground Railroad activity throughout the period.
To find out if there is a historic Underground Railway station near you, see this list of historic Underground Railway stations.
Fugitive, escapee, and runaway are all phrases that imply that the individual who is fleeing forced labor is somehow at fault for seeking freedom from captivity or slavery.
- These and other vocabulary phrases, such as personal liberty statutes, redemption, and manumission, may be found on the National Park Service’s “Language of Slavery” webpage, which can be accessed by clicking here.
- To analyze how the importance of people and groups’ activities varies over time and is formed by the historical context, use questions produced about them to assess how the significance of their actions changes over time and is impacted by the historical context.
- North Carolina Standards for Secondary School History 12.9-12.
- The NCSS.D2.His.14.9-12 standard requires students to analyze many and complex causes and consequences of events that have occurred in the past.
- When creating a historical argument, it is important to distinguish between long-term causes and triggering events.
- Integrate evidence from numerous relevant historical sources and interpretations into a reasoned argument about the past.
Students could also look into the following persons and important words throughout these crucial years:
- Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1794
- The Slave Trade Ban was implemented in 1808
- Vestal and Levi Coffin established an escape route for slaves in 1820
- The Missouri Compromise was implemented in 1820
- Denmark Vesey founded Charleston in 1822
- Nat Turner founded Philadelphia in 1831
- The American Anti-Slavery Society was established in Philadelphia in 1833
- The Mexican-American War was implemented in 1846-1848
- Harriet Tubman founded Harpers Ferry in 1859
The Underground Railroad’s conductors were well-versed in how to take advantage of any and all available opportunities. Freedom-seekers rested during the day and traveled the majority of their long-distance (5-10 mile) journeys at night, when they were less likely to be seen. Whenever it was necessary to travel during the day on the train, passengers took on errands and activities to give the impression that they were employed by someone in the vicinity. In spite of the fact that fleeing during the winter may be risky due to the severely cold environment of the northern hemisphere, the winter provided significantly longer periods of darkness under which to seek refuge.
- The Underground Railroad, on the other hand, has spawned a great deal of legend surrounding the signals that comrades would transmit to one another.
- For further information on more songs from this era, please see the Music in African American History lesson on EDSITEment’s website.
- While historians are divided on whether or not songs and textiles may have been used to transmit secret messages in the Underground Railroad system, they remain vital components of African American culture in the nineteenth century, regardless of whether they were utilized to do so.
- For a more detailed account of an Underground Railroad site financed by the National Endowment for the Humanities, see The President of the Underground Railroad (also known as the Underground Railroad President).
- Activities for the Lesson
Activity 1. The Life of Harriet Tubman
All feasible angles were utilized by the Underground Railroad’s conductors to their advantage. Freedom-seekers rested during the day and traveled the majority of the journey (5-10 miles) at night, when they were less likely to be seen by onlookers. Even when traveling during the afternoon, travelers used their time to do errands and do chores to give the impression that they were employed by someone in the neighborhood. Winter might be a perilous season to leave owing to the severely cold environment of the northern hemisphere, but also provided far longer periods of darkness under which to seek refuge.
- As a result, a great deal of legend has developed around the signals that allies would transmit to one another while traveling on the Underground Railroad.
- In order to learn more about additional songs from this era, please see the Music in African American History lesson on EDSITEment’s website.
- While historians are divided on whether or not songs and textiles may have been used to transmit hidden messages in the Underground Railroad system, they remain vital components of African American culture in the nineteenth century, regardless of whether or not they were employed.
- To learn more about an Underground Railroad site financed by the National Endowment for the Humanities, visit this website.
- Activities for the Lesson Plan
- What attributes or abilities did Tubman possess that distinguished her as an especially effective leader on the Underground Railroad
- And In what ways did Tubman’s allies assist her, and who were they? Why should Harriet Tubman be regarded as a significant figure in the history of the United States
- Why
Activity 2. Conducting the Underground Railroad
Students can work in pairs or small groups to evaluate primary materials and reply to the questions that have been set forth by the instructor. All of the letters and papers that were utilized during this activity may be used into the mapping activity and evaluation process as well.
Group 1.
For the primary sources, students can work in pairs or small groups to study them and reply to the questions that accompany them. All of the letters and papers that were utilized during this activity may be used into the mapping activity and assessment process as well.
- What, according to Douglass, is the fundamental difference between himself and Tubman
- Was there anything in Douglass’s letter that revealed what he thought of Tubman’s deed? What is it that Douglass wants Tubman to be recognized for?
Group 2.
After reading this letter from Thomas Garrett to Harriet Tubman, take some time to discuss the following questions.
- What does Garrett have to say about Tubman’s personality
- What kind of knowledge does Garrett have regarding assisting freedom-seekers in their attempts to elude slavery? When it comes to Tubman, how does Garrett feel? Look for proof as well as inferences from his tone of voice
Group 3.
After reading about Harriet Tubman’s role in the Civil War and subsequently the records relating to her fight to collect recompense for her efforts, discuss the following questions with your classmates.
- Describe the roles that Tubman played throughout the Civil War. How did her previous experience as a conductor on the Underground Railroad benefit her
- What did she want to do when she finished her military service? What obstacles did Tubman have to overcome in order to receive what she requested
- In the end, what was the result of this conflict
- What was it about Tubman that caused him to have such difficulties? Is there anything that can be done to rectify the situation?
Activity 3. Mapping the Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad produced a large number of lines that went in practically every direction. Some were more successful than others in their endeavors. Detail one route of the Underground Railroad and offer information about that route, using the resources listed below and the handout provided. Include the following information:
- States that are free and/or slave along the path
- During the winter months, the weather varies from state to state. Terrain (mountains, hills, lakes, rivers, and other natural features)
- How many miles does it take to get from point A to point B? If relevant, notable cities should be included.
In the path there are free and/or slave states. throughout the winter months in each state’s climate terrain (mountains, hills, lakes, rivers, and so on); climatic conditions From start to end, how many kilometers will it take? If there are any notable cities, include them in your list.
- The depiction of Harriet Tubman on U.S. banknotes
- Considering naming a highway or other public place in her name
- Erecting a statue or monument in her honor The declaration of a national holiday every year
Students will argue for Tubman’s significance in history, what sort of recognition she should get, and why a certain day, location, and media was chosen. Students will use primary materials to support their arguments. Their submission should be backed with a prototype, mock-up, or simulation that will provide Congress an idea of what they would be receiving as an award. Students can submit their recommendations to their representatives once they have been reviewed by a teacher. Extensions to the Lesson
Historic Underground Railroad Sites
Students will argue for Tubman’s significance in history, what sort of recognition she should get, and why a certain day, location, and media was chosen. Students will use primary materials as evidence to support their arguments. In order to give Congress an understanding of what they are proposing, they should provide a prototype, mock-up, or simulation of the award. Students can submit their recommendations to their elected representatives after they have been reviewed by a teacher or a committee.
National Archival Collections
The National Park Service has put up a guide on using source documents (spirituals, almanacs, diaries, gazettes, calendars, maps, and so on) in the process of researching and interpreting the Underground Railroad (An extensive research guide on Harriet Tubman’s life and times has been compiled by the Library of Congress for additional examination. Featuring Eric Foner, author of Gateway to Freedom; Edna Greene Medford, professor of history at Howard University; and Adam Rothman, the National Archives’ documentary ” Gateway to Freedom: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad ” was released in October 2012.
Freedom on the Move is a National Endowment for the Humanities-funded database of testimonies, resistance stories, and “runaway advertisements” that have been published in newspapers in an effort to track down fugitives.
Regional Archival Collections
This is a small selection of institutions, humanities centers, and historical societies that make digitized photographs and information about things associated to the Underground Railroad available to the general public. For information on this period of American history in your region of the country, check with your local libraries, museums, and other comparable institutions. Delaware Florida Illinois Massachusetts New York is the capital of the United States. OhioPennsylvania Encyclopedias supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and State Humanities Councils
Teaching the Underground Railroad: Lesson Plans
On this SiteAboutthe Teaching SummitLessonPlansPhotographs Literature |
- Minty – A Child’s Life in Slavery (MS Word document)
- Minty – A Child’s Life in Slavery (MS Word document)
- (MS Word document)
- “Minty,” in three lessons:
- Harriet Tubman (MS Word document)
- Lesson One (a Microsoft Word document)
- Lesson Two (a Microsoft Publisher document)
- Lesson Three (a Microsoft Word document)
- First lesson (MS Word document), second lesson (MS Publisher document), and third lesson (MS Word document).
- Studies in social studies and language arts
- Secret Signs
- And “Freedom: Yesterday and Today,” which is divided into two parts:
- UndergroundRailroad(MS Word document)
- Yesterday and Today(MS PowerPoint presentation)
- UndergroundRailroad(MS Word document).
- Exercise with a Venn Diagram (MS Word document): readings: Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky, Follow the Drinking Gourd
- Venn Diagram exercise Readings: SweetClara and the Freedom Quilt
- Freedom Quilt designs (in MS Word format)
- SweetClara and the Freedom Quilt This lesson is divided into three parts: “Reading: Sequence, Main Events, and Theme.”
- (MS Word document) UndergroundRailroad Book Activity
- (MS Word document) UndergroundRailroad Direction Sheet
- And (MS Word document) Underground Railroad Lesson Plan are all included in the UndergroundRailroad package.
- Heroes of the Underground Railroad (MS Word document)
- Heroes of the Underground Railroad (MS Word document). Groups of Conductors (3rd/4th grade) (MS Word document) Creating Freedom Quilts (for third or fourth graders) (MS Word document)
- Freedom Quilts (for students in third through sixth grades)
- Using Primary Sources (a Microsoft Word document)
- Using Secret Signs (a Microsoft Word document)
- What is a Hero? (Microsoft Word document)
- Computer TechnologyWebquests(MS Word document)
- Life as a Runaway(5th/6th grade) (MS Word document)
- Computer TechnologyWebquests(MS Word document)
- Computer TechnologyWebquests(MS Word document).
- To Be a Slave (a Microsoft Word document) is recommended reading. What Would You Do in This Situation? Questions on Demand (in Microsoft Word format)
- FugitiveSlave Law (for 9th and 10th graders)
- “Freedom Quilts,” a course for 9th-12th graders that is divided into two parts:
- Underground RailroadLesson Plan (MS Word document)
- FreedomQuilts (MS Word document)
- Underground RailroadLesson Plan (MS Word document)
Classroom
The five intermediate or middle-school-based lesson plans (aimed at students in grades 6-8) are designed to help students gain a better understanding of the work done on the Underground Railroad from the perspective of William Still. Some educators may find that these classroom lessons, worksheets, and ideas may be easily integrated into their ongoing units and/or lesson plans related to the subject matter, or that they can be altered for younger or older pupils with minimum redirection. They were created with educators in mind and with educators as the target audience.
The Underground Railroad Trail Re-creation Activity Guide provides instructors with options for engaging students in re-creating their own Underground Railroad trails, allowing them to appreciate that travel in the mid-1800s was at best a shaky path to freedom for those enslaved.
Lesson Plans
It is the goal of the five intermediate or middle-school-based lesson plans (aimed at students in grades 6-8) to help them gain a better understanding of the work done on the Underground Railroad from the perspective of William Still. These classroom lessons, worksheets, and ideas may be included into an educator’s existing unit or lessons on the subject topic, or they may be altered for younger or older pupils with a little reworking and reorganizing. With educators in mind, they were created by teachers, for teachers.
Also included are some suggestions for teachers to use to engage children in re-creating their own Underground Railroad trails, allowing them to appreciate that travel in the mid-1800s was, at best, a shaky path to freedom for individuals who were enslaved.
Underground Railroad Digital Classroom: Lesson Plans
Elementary, Middle, and High Schools are all options.
Featured Lesson Plans:
John M. Osborne, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA Fugitive Slave Notices | General lesson suitable for multiple levels that details the stories behind actual fugitive slave ads featured in William Still’s book The Underground Railroad. |
Matthew Pinsker, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA How Do Textbooks Describe the Underground Railroad? | Includes examples from ten leading high school level American history textbooks describing the Underground Railroad and asks students to compare respective treatments. |
Jeff Mummert, Hershey High School, Hershey, PA Henry “Box” Brown Social StudiesHenry “Box” Brown Interdisciplinary | The social studies lesson plans include a portfolio of approaches from elementary, middle, and high school that engage students in various story telling skills and evaluating historical information.The interdisciplinary plans employ math, science, and geography, and use Google Earth technology to engage students at all levels in Henry Brown’s escape story. |
School levels include elementary, middle, and high school, among others.
Lesson Plans – Underground Railroad (U.S. National Park Service)
Elementary, Middle, and High School are all options.
- Mary Ann Shadd Cary House is a publisher, activist, teacher, and lawyer who lives in New York City. Mary Ann Shadd Cary was born free in a slave state, but she grew up as a slave. Although she was remarkable, her movements between the United States and Canada were not uncommon. They provide evidence of where African Americans settled in North America throughout the nineteenth century, and her surviving home in Washington, D.C., provides evidence of where and how a woman of her social standing lived
- New Philadelphia, Illinois: New Philadelphia, Illinois, was not your average pioneer town, according to historians. It was the first municipality in the United States to be laid out and registered by an African-American before the Civil War. New Philadelphia was created in 1836 by a previously enslaved man known as “Free Frank” McWorter as a money-making effort to help him and his family get out of slavery. New Philadelphia is one of the hundreds of places on the National Register of Historic Places that have been designated as such. The Battle of Honey Springs is a historical battle that took place in the United States of America in the early twentieth century. It’s the Civil War in the Indian Territory this time. Union forces journeyed across Indian country in this combat, which would help determine whether the Union or the Confederacy would control land west of the Mississippi River after the war’s conclusion. Honey Springs Battlefield is one of the thousands of locations on the National Register of Historic Places
- The Old Courthouse in St. Louis: Based on the National Register of Historic Places, this lesson brings important stories of historic places into the classroom. The Old Courthouse in St. Louis: Based on the National Register of Historic Places, this lesson brings important stories of historic places into the classroom. It can be used to a range of civic concerns, such as the sectional struggle that led to the Civil War. During this course, students will learn about the significance of the Old Courthouse in St. Louis in national events of the 19th century, such as the Dred Scott v. Sandford case.
The Underground Railroad – Teacher-Created Lesson Plan
Author and publisher Mary Ann Shadd Cary House has also worked as an activist, a teacher, and an advocate for women. She was born free in a slave state, but she grew up in slavery. Although she was unique, her movements between the United States and Canada were not unusual. They provide evidence of where African Americans settled in North America throughout the nineteenth century, and her surviving home in Washington, D.C., provides evidence of where and how a woman of her social standing resided; New Philadelphia, Illinois When it came to pioneer towns, New Philadelphia, Illinois was not your usual place to live.
- New Philadelphia was created in 1836 by a previously enslaved man known as “Free Frank” McWorter as a money-making effort to help him and his family escape slavery in the United States.
- “The Battle of Honey Springs” is a historical battle that took place in the United States of America in the early twentieth century.
- Union forces travelled across Indian land in this combat, which would help determine whether the Union or the Confederacy would control territory west of the Mississippi River after it was won by Lincoln.
- Louis is featured in this lesson, which is based on the National Register of Historic Places and brings important stories of historic places into the classroom.
- Louis are both featured in this lesson.
- During this course, students will learn about the significance of the Old Courthouse in St.
- Sandford case.
Teach Your Kids About . the Underground Railroad
It was a perilous voyage for slaves fleeing slavery in the southern states as they travelled north on the Underground Railroad, an underground network of people who opposed slavery and assisted the fugitives on their trek to Canada, where they could live free. Please see the list below for more study materials to learn more about this time of history. Lesson Plans are a type of plan that is used to teach a subject.
- An interactive lesson plan based on the Underground Railroad Teacher’s Guide, published by Scholastic: the lesson plan contains four “stops” where students may learn about different parts of the Underground Railroad journey through audio, video, and other interactive activities
- Instructional Materials on the Underground Railroad – Lesson plans organized by grade level Lessons are in.doc format, which means they will download to your PC. Digital Classroom for the Underground Railroad– Contains lesson plans, handouts, virtual field excursions, a digital book shelf with movies and worksheets, and much, much more. Educators can use the Fort Pulaski National Monument as a starting point for their investigations on the life of African-American slaves during the Civil War. National Park Service’s Quest for Freedom: The Underground Railroad is a documentary on the Underground Railroad. There are various lessons connected to the abolition of slavery and the Underground Railroad included in this book. In Motion’s Runaway Journeys is a piece of music. Lesson plans for students in grades 6 and up about the migration of African-Americans are available. The material offered on the Runaway Journeys website was used to create this report. This resource comes from the Institute for Freedom Studies and is titled Teaching the Underground Railroad. Heritage Minutes has created lesson materials for grades K–9 about the Underground Railroad. Underground Railroad Heritage Minute lesson ideas for secondary grades
- Henry’s Freedom Box lesson plans for secondary grades according to Scholastic – lesson plans and activities based on the children’s book of the same name
Figures of Influence Harriet Tubman (also known as “Tubman”) was an American woman who lived during the Civil War.
- Debbie Musiek created the Harriet Tubman Unit, and the Tarsus Literary and Library Consulting created the Harriet Tubman Research Pathfinder.
William Still: I’d want to thank you for your service.
- The William Still Story, courtesy of Public Broadcasting Service. William Still, an abolitionist, is featured in a video, lesson materials, and other resources.
Various Other Resources
- Site of John Freeman Wells’s historical significance The Underground Railroad Museum is located in New York City. This museum is located in Puce, Ontario, which served as the subterranean railroad’s terminus. Uncle Tom’s Cabin has an interesting personal tale as well as photographs. Dresden is a town in the province of Ontario. Located on the grounds of the historic site is Rev. Josiah Henson, who served as the basis for the novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” On Black History Canada, there is an article about the Underground Railroad. Lists of references and resources from all around the internet
- Internet Resources for the Underground Railroad on CyberBee– A list of websites and other resources
Historic Site of John Freeman Wells A museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. This location is in Puce, Ontario – which served as the subterranean railroad’s terminus. Uncle Tom’s Cabin has an interesting personal tale and photographs. Dresden, Ontario, Canada is the location of this business venture. Located on the grounds of the historic site is Rev. Josiah Henson, who served as the model for the novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Black History Canada’s Underground Railroad exhibit. Refernces and resources from throughout the web are compiled in a database.
- Crafting Your Own Quilt Pattern Board Gameby Deceptively Educational – Step-by-step instructions on how to craft your own quilt pattern board game
- Quilt code patterns– an explanation of the patterns and what they signified
- Quilt code patterns Quilt patterns and the Underground Railroad: the significance of patterns in history
- Creating Your Own Secret Quilt Message from Pathways to Freedom is a fun and engaging online activity.
- Instructions on how to construct your own quilt pattern board game from Deceptively Educational’s Quilt Code Game. Quilt Code Patterns– a description of the patterns and what they represented. Quilt designs and the Underground Railroad: their symbolic significance Creating Your Own Secret Quilt Message from Pathways to Freedom is a fun interactive online activity.
- Create a 3D representation of Harriet Tubman with Crayola Triarama
- Create an Underground Railroad Lantern using Arkansas Civil War 150
- And more.
A challenge presented by Ben and Me that will see bloggers publish their way through the alphabet over the course of 26 weeks will include a post on books. The letter U is represented here. Feel free to participate yourself, or simply to see what other people are writing about!
The Underground Railroad
A project presented by Ben and Me that will see bloggers post their way through the alphabet over the course of 26 weeks will include a post about books. The letter U is represented by this symbol. Make yourself at home and participate in the fun, or just browse the blogs of others!
Procedures
- INTRODUCTION As a class, view the video below and have the kids respond to the questions that follow: VIDEO CLIP 1: Underground Railroad Freedom Center (6:34)
- VIDEO CLIP 2: Underground Railroad Freedom Center (6:34)
- What was the Underground Railroad, and how did it work? Describe the purpose of a “safe home” as well as some of its characteristics. Inform students about the significance of the Ohio River. Give an explanation of the purpose and characteristics of a slave pen. Explain the background of Henry “Box” Brown’s narrative.
- ASSIGNMENT Divide the class into groups, and assign each group to watch one of the video snippets below. Using the handout supplied, students should take notes, after which they should present their results to the rest of the class. As a bonus, students may utilize the questions linked with each clip to assist their viewing of the material. ASSIGNMENT: The Underground Railroad Assignment (Google Doc)
- Video Clip 2: Slavery, the Underground Railroad, and the Politics of Resistance (9:45) Richard Blackett spoke on his book Making Freedom: The Underground Railroad and the Politics of Slavery, which he wrote about the Underground Railroad and slavery.
- Demonstrate how the Fugitive Slave Act affected the institution of slavery in both free and slave states by providing examples. What strategies did some people employ to defend their beliefs on slavery on a local, regional, state, and national level
- Demonstrate how the Fugitive Slave Act affected the institution of slavery in both free and slave states by providing examples of its consequences. In order to defend their beliefs on slavery at the local, state, and national levels, some people employed various tactics.
- Explain the significance of Harriet Tubman’s participation in the events of June 1863. What is the significance of this
- Why and how did Harriet Tubman’s abilities, which she gained from her experiences on the Underground Railroad in Dorchester County, benefit her during the Civil War
- And
- Distinguish the significance of Harriet Tubman’s participation in the events of June 1863 in detail. What is the significance of this information? How did Harriet Tubman’s talents, which she gained from her experiences as a member of the Underground Railroad in Dorchester County, assist her during the Civil War?
- Is it possible to find out what part Thaddeus Stevens played in the subterranean railroad in Pennsylvania
- When it comes to supporting the underground railroad, what tools did Thaddeus Stevens utilize are important to know. Describe the hazards that escaped slaves faced in the northern hemisphere.
- Is it possible to find out what part Thaddeus Stevens played in the Pennsylvania Underground Railroad? When it came to supporting the underground railroad, what tools did Thaddeus Stevens employ? Describe the hazards that escaped slaves faced in the northern hemisphere
- And
- Describe the Underground Railroad’s network of routes and stations. What is the significance of the train symbol as a symbol of freedom
- The Underground Railroad’s distribution system should be described in detail. What is the significance of the train emblem as a symbol of liberty?
- In accordance with Matthew Pinsker’s research, describe the folklore fallacies regarding the Underground Railroad. What led to the creation of these misconceptions? Explain the “revisionist history” that has occurred in reference to the Underground Railroad, as described by Spencer Crew
- After watching the videos and reporting back to class, have students watch the next video clip and then debate the questions that follow. Video Clip 7: The Underground Railroad’s Legacy is Continued (1:02) Spencer Crew, a history professor at George Mason University, spoke on the significance of the Underground Railroad.
- Finally, after watching the films and reporting back to the class, have students watch the following video clip and debate the questions that follow. Clip 7: The Underground Railroad’s Legacy is discussed in detail (1:02) Spencer Crew, professor of history at George Mason University, spoke on the significance of the Underground Railroad.
- ASSESSMENT When you’ve finished talking about the last film, ask students to compose an essay (or another comparable culminating assignment) that incorporates the material listed below. Students should use specific examples from the films and class discussion to support their arguments.
- The Underground Railroad’s history and organizational structure
- The Underground Railroad’s most significant events and participants
- The significance of the Underground Railroad during the nineteenth century
- And The lessons learned by the Underground Railroad and how they might be applied to present times are discussed in detail.
- The students should select one of the political cartoons, artworks, newspaper pieces, or extracts from the Digital Public Library of America website as an extension or alternative activity. In this main source document, you should address the following points:
- Please provide an overview of the document. What do you believe was the motivation behind the creation of this document? Using this paper, what conclusions can you draw about the author/creator and their values
- Write down a synopsis of the paper. What do you believe was the motivation behind the creation of this documentation? From this document, what can you deduce about the author/creator and their beliefs?
- Write out a synopsis of the paper
- What do you believe was the motivation for the creation of this paper
- From this document, what can you assume about the author/creator and their beliefs?
- Dr. Clarence Newsome characterizes the underground railroad as an attempt to “make good on the rhetoric of the founding fathers” in his book The Underground Railroad. What exactly does this sentence mean? Do you believe that America has now made good on the rhetoric of the founding fathers? What differences did you see between various parts of the country in terms of safety, legislation, and help for fugitive slaves on the Underground Railroad? What caused these discrepancies to occur? The Underground Railroad and the Fugitive Slave Law
- Why do you believe myths and misconceptions regarding the Underground Railroad persist
- How did the Fugitive Slave Law affect the Underground Railroad
Additional Resources
- Lesson Plan: Major Events Leading Up to the Civil War
- Bell Ringer: Fugitive Slave Act
- Video Clip: Harriet Tubman
- Lesson Plan: Major Events Leading Up to the Civil War
Journey on the Underground Railroad
Do you require more assistance with EL students? Try out theVocabulary in Contextpre-lesson activity first.
Learning Objectives
- Students will be able to accurately apply terms connected to the Underground Railroad in a variety of situations.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to accurately employ terms associated with the Underground Railroad in context;
- Students will be able to accurately utilize language associated with the Underground Railroad in a variety of contexts.
- Make the following concepts more understandable to students: “slavery,” “secret code,” “underground,” “railroad,” and “escaping.”
Intermediate
- To provide the ELs with more context and background knowledge about the Underground Railroad, show them photographs linked to it.
Underground Railroad Lesson Plan Resources
Make use of photos relating to the Underground Railroad to provide the ELs with more context and background information.
Resources for Teaching About the Underground Railroad
- Make use of photos relating to the Underground Railroad to provide the ELs with greater context and background information.
- The History Channel has a segment about the Underground Railroad: This website has a variety of free material, ranging from photo galleries to films about Harriet Tubman and more.
- By the History Channel: The Underground Railroad A lot of free material can be found on this website, which includes anything from photo galleries to films about Harriet Tubman and much more.
- According to the History Channel, the Underground Railroad was as follows: This website has a variety of free material, ranging from photo galleries to movies about Harriet Tubman and other topics.
- A fantastic resource on the secret codes that were hidden in quilts, as well as the symbols and songs that were made to communicate with individuals going on the Underground Railroad, may be found at Owen Sound’s Black History.
- Educate your children about the Underground Railroad with BrainPOP: BrainPOP provides a plethora of excellent, kid-friendly films that teach everything from who Martin Luther King Jr. was to how the Underground Railroad functioned.
What are some of your favorite resources for learning about the Underground Railroad, and why? Please share your ideas with us!
Lesson Plan: The Underground Railroad
1. The factors of motivation and engagement Have As students enter the room, keep an eye out for the Drinking Gourdplaying. As students arrive, hand out admittance slips and ask them to respond to the question “What is the Underground Railroad?” in a single phrase. Give pupils a minute to write, then invite them to share what they have written with the rest of the class. Choose a couple of the finest definitions to write on the overhead projector for students to replicate. 2. Identifying the Lesson’s Objectives Distribute song lyrics to the audience.
- As an example, “Do two things while you’re listening to the lecture.
- Try to find out what the song is about based on what you already know.” 3.
- Students listen to the lyrics of the music while reading the lyrics.
- Rereading and concentrating on what you’ve read Explain to the kids that they should read the narrative again and underline any terms or phrases that they do not understand.
- “Write a couple of phrases describing what you believe the song will be about.” 5.
- 6.
- Share your thoughts with the entire class.
7.
Tell pupils that they must be certain that their drawing will show an escaping slave the path to freedom in their illustration.
Explain to students that Peg Leg Joe’s song describes an escape path from Mississippi or Alabama, and ask them to pinpoint the rivers that were followed and sketch a map of the escape route.
Have students research Underground Railroad stations in the Detroit region, such as Second BaptistChurch, located at 441 Monroe Street, just east of the Gratiot and Woodward Ave.intersection, and other comparable locations.
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When making your decision, how would the FugitiveSlave Act impact you?
Learn how to identify directions by the stars and during the daytime without the need of a compass or map.
7. The Underground Railroad, a National Geographic program, takes you on a trip through the life of an escaped slave. Heroes of the Underground Railroad including as Harriet Tubman, Thomas Garrett, William Still, Frederick Douglass, and Susan B. Anthony are being studied in depth by historians.
Underground Railroad
Kentucky’s Underground Railroad (Urban Underground Railroad) (M, O) “Local stories of courage and sacrifice on the Underground Railroad, the hidden network of people who assisted enslaved individuals in their journey north to freedom, have been unearthed in Boone County, Kentucky, as a result of recent study. As they prepared to cross the Ohio River, people could take in the scenery from the county’s hilltop overlooking the river. Historic sites in the area are described by local historians, who also recount the story of the Cincinnati 28, who staged an audacious escape and then concealed in plain sight as they moved through Cincinnati.” The following is an excerpt from PBS Learning Media: The Underground Railroad: An Introduction (y) It is taught to students about the Underground Railroad and the reasons why slaves utilized it.
- Classes in grades 1-2 In this lesson, students will study about natural and human-made signs that assisted slaves in finding their way north through the Underground Railroad during the American Civil War.
- Classes in grades 1-2 In this lesson, students will learn how to identify slave states and free states during the time of the Underground Railroad, examine the difficulties of escape, and determine the path they would have traveled if they were on the run from slavery.
- Guide for Educators (Y) Students in Grades 6-10 may learn about history using game-playing techniques.
- Africa in America resource bank from PBS.org on the Underground Railroad (Y, M, O, T) and Africans in America.
- In this article from History.com, we will discuss the Underground Railroad (Y, M, O and T).
- Tours of the Underground Railroad (Y, M, O, and T) are available through the Friends of the First Living Museum.
- Sites of the Underground Railroad in Indiana (Y, M, O, T) Indiana’s involvement with the Underground Railroad is detailed here.
During the years leading up to and during the Civil War, a large number of runaway slaves journeyed across the state of Indiana.
Teaching resources for students at three different levels.
Players in the Harriet Tubman Readers Theater (Y, M) To learn about Harriet Tubman, an American hero, and to learn about the Underground Railroad, a multiple-role reader’s theater script is used.
Kindergarten to fourth grade This is the story of William Still, who was a member of the Underground Railroad (Y, M, O, T).
Using Maryland as a Route to Freedom: The Underground Railroad in the State of Maryland (Y, M, O, T) Among the many resources available on this site are original source documents, historical events, museums, and individuals who operated on the Underground Railroad in Maryland.
Slaves and Underground Railroad conductors were both involved in the Underground Railroad (Y,M,O,T) Learn why and how slaves fled from their masters by utilizing the underground railroad, as well as who was in charge of running the railroad.
History Museum in Newton, Massachusetts (Y,M,O,T) In addition to permanent exhibitions, the Newton History Museum also hosts rotating exhibits on a range of historical themes.
The abolitionist movement in Newton and how the Jackson family utilized their home to serve as an Underground Railroad station are both covered in detail in this exhibit.
The John Brown Museum is located in the heart of the city (Y,M,O,T) In the midst of “Bleeding Kansas,” the Reverend Samuel Adair and his wife, Florella, were peaceful abolitionists who moved to Kansas and resided in Osawatomie, a thriving abolitionist settlement that was also a flashpoint for violence.
Today, the cabin still exists on the location of the Event of Osawatomie, when John Brown and 30 free-state defenders faced 250 pro-slavery troops in 1856, and serves as a memorial to the battle.
Levi Coffin House is a historic building in Levi, Pennsylvania (Y,M,O,T) This listed National Historic Landmark, which was erected in 1839 in the Federal style, served as a stop on the renowned Underground Railroad for fleeing slaves during the pre-Civil War era.
During their 20-year residence in Newport, the Coffins were responsible for assisting more than 2,000 slaves to find safety.
They will investigate the themes of slavery, respect, and giving of one’s time or skill in order to better the lives of others around them.
There’s a train coming, and you better get ready (Y,M) By studying the roles individuals played in the Underground Railroad, students will get an understanding of how charity is an important aspect of African American history and culture. Grades 3, 4, and 5